Okay, Its been a while since I made it to a little event. A long while actually. With me concentrating on the baronies so heavily over the past year, and their not being many shires left in the north, small events are actually rather rare up here.
Well, Skorragarðr put one on this weekend, and I must say, it was a lot of fun.
And their was something else about it that was good too.
I didn't do a lot.
Now, let me explain before that last sentence gets taken all out of context.
I showed up to help, with joy in my heart and eager to herald here and there.
And no sooner had I showed up than I was greeted by about seven different people, half of whom knew me by name, the others all just knew me at "the herald".
Needless to say, their is a warm fuzzy feeling that comes with that.
But something remarkable happened too. A lot of people wanted to help.
It started with Thora, an 11 year old girl who had site heralded with me for a few events before, and wanted to do it again at her event (she's local to Skorragarðr, so I totally understand the draw).
Well, despite being a child, she acquitted herself well for a full round of heraldry, walking the full distance of sight with me and shouting the hour's announcements with good volume and good diction. I can't ask for more, not from a child, and not from an adult. She did her part, and did it well.
I covered two heralds during the day, nothing specail, but I had fun.
And then in the afternoon, Sæmundr (thats supposedly how the vikings managed to spell the name "Simon") the -Pure, followed me out for his own on-the-job-training.
To his credit, he started with good intent, and an honest effort. Though after hearing him the first time, I decided to offer some inspiratoon.
"Okay... here's what I need you to do. Imagin that your son is 100 yards away, and about to accidently back off of a train platform with the 11:30 mentro express heading this way at top speed. You have to make sure you are heard the first time, cause you wont have a second chance."
Well, let me tell you, that got results :)
All kidding asside, he did a great job, covered the site well, and had excelent diction and good projection.
This may all sound dry and technical, but for Voice heralds, words like projection and diction are the tools of our trade, if you have them, your in the game, if you dont... well, your not.
Sarait heralded for both morning and afternoon courts, and did an excelent job of it. She's still new, and still green in many respects, but their excelencies Narmron are a good set of leaders, and hold a fun court, and Sarait is a good student of detail and attention their to. She's a credit to her group, and a hard worker. This weekend, as both a herald and an event Steward, she did
Skorragarðr proud in my opinion.
And, after all that, I was Thrilled to see both Sarait and Saemundr get their Award's of Arms. Poor Sarait cried with hers, which I think is a touching sign of how muich she works, and how little she expectes in return. She's out there to have fun, and has it in spades. When I see people cry at an AOA, it warms my heart becauce it shows how much they value the award, and likely how much they will apreciate the friends who helped them be so recognized.
Sarait is the same person who at Namron walked off the field after her first time list heralding and said "I'm hooked, when can I go back on!". And let me tell you, she was absolutely glowing from the experience.
I must say... I have had a lot of people lately tell me that the work I am doing is inspiring to them.
And yes, part of me does enjoy that. Its a sign of acomplishment, A sign of progress, and just an overall good thing, and I dont apologize for feeling good about it.
But what I dont think a lot of people realize is that it these people also inspire me.
Some time ago, I saw an eager newcomer ask about heraldry and then sit in on my class at King's college. The next thing I know, she's signing up to be the herald of her canton, and diving into heraldry. She and I got Warranted together at the same class at Redtape this year, and now she's a fill fledged officer, pulling an officer's workload.
In her first year as a paid member of the SCA, she had done more than I did in mine, and will likely continue on that path.
THAT is inspiring, to me and it should be to others.
Today, I saw a husband who said that he was shy and had stage fright follow me out onto site and cry site heraldry for the first time. Nothing magical happened then, but when it was over, I saw a little more confidence in his eyes, and a little more enthusiasium for the art.
THAT is inspiration, that is progess.
These are good things.
Today I saw an eleven year old do a job that many adults wont even try their hands at.
THAT is inspiration.
And ALL of these are good things.
I am proud of what I have acomplished...but what I have done pales in comparison with what each of these people have decided to do with the rudimentary skills I have given them. I taught them the basics, but it takes more than knowledge to go out and do somehing with those skills. It takes character, courage, and honor...and everyone I have spoke of here demonstrated those in spades today.
Axman was a little event. But little events can produce great things, and this event did just that.
Lord Ivo Blackhawk
Protege to Master Robert Fitzmorgan
Province of Mooneschadowe
Kingdom of Ansteorra
"God Save the King!"
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